Grafton Notch Campground's pet-friendly sites include amenities for tent and RV campers alongside firewood, picnic tables, and drinking water. Crocker Pond and White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road offer more primitive options for campers with pets, featuring 7-8 spacious, secluded sites spaced well apart to minimize disturbance between campers. Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground provides electric hookups and water access with designated pet areas near the Androscoggin River. Papoose Pond Family Campground accepts pets at their cabin sites and tent areas. Most locations maintain standard leash policies requiring dogs to be controlled at all times. The campgrounds are particularly quiet during weekdays and shoulder seasons, with Crocker Pond described as possibly the quietest place on Earth.
Little Larry Road's dispersed camping sites offer pet owners peaceful woodland surroundings with fire rings but no other amenities, making them ideal for self-contained camping with dogs. Hiking trails accessible from many campgrounds provide excellent exercise opportunities for pets, including trails from Crocker Pond to nearby ponds and Mount Albany. Campers should be prepared with adequate water for pets during summer months, as not all primitive sites have drinking water access. The area around West Bethel offers exceptional hiking for dogs, with the White Mountain National Forest providing numerous trails where leashed pets are permitted. Wildlife encounters are common in the region, so keeping pets secured at campsites is essential. Bears have been spotted particularly near the upper sites at Little Larry Road, making proper food storage crucial when camping with animals. The town of Bethel, approximately 8 miles from several campgrounds, provides veterinary services and pet supplies if needed.
$28 / night
"This campground is privately owned and is situated in an amazing spot in the mountains of Western Maine."
"This small, private campground just outside Grafton Notch State Park offers clean, level, quiet sites with hot showers. If you don’t need wi-fi and hook-ups, this is the place for you!"
$18 / night
"Into the Whites from West Bethel, Crocker Pond is an off the beaten path car camping destination. Beautiful place to set up camp for a night to 14 days."
"With no one else around we thought, “welcome to the perfect campsite.” Each site offers a picnic table, fire ring, and access to the pond."
$35 - $45 / night
"The loop/trials across the street was a great walk for the dogs. There is a Walmart close by and tractor supply less then 5 minutes away for forgotten or need supplies. We stayed at campsite 7"
"This campground is just north bordering the White Mountain NF. Close to northern trailheads. NH take care in keeping their parks orderly. Nice site."
"Very nice has a pool close to grafton state park"
"Sites are a little close to each other, but they're very long. Great pool, fun rec room area (we learned how to play shuffleboard!) We were the 2nd tiny house there!"
"These campsites are located on a dead end dirt road. The campsites are spread out so you are not on top of each other (I think there are only 8 sites on the road.) "
"Highwater trail with bridge close by. Great stars. Creek runs through road near sites good for getting water to filter or washing. Trailhead at end of road."
"If you bring yoyr own kayaks there is a ruver with a take out close to the campground. U could walk back or drive in with a truck for pick up! This place is amazing! Will continue to go every year!"
"Perfect spot to relax and get away from everything. Great amount of amenities and privacy."
$30 - $67 / night
"Close to the main road but not too noisy. There are train tracks on the property but no trains went thru this weekend. Beautiful walking path right by the river!"
"There is also a great playground and a beautiful nature trail along the Androscoggin River. The campground tends to have a mix of tents and RV folks."
"It is very close to the highway so there there is some traffic noise but not bad. Tents are in a different area."
"There was a very cool suspension bridge to take you to on a walk to a private island. I definitely plan on visiting again!"
$30 - $44 / night
"Very dog freindly, many hiking trails in the the area. Next to zero cell phone service."
"Great weather, easy drive in spot to camp at nt night. We arrived about midnight, paid via maildrop and were able to easily setup camp that evening."
$24 / night
"Situated just off the Wild River and off of major roads, Hastings was incredibly peaceful while we were there."
"A small campground located at the northern end of Evan’s Notch, close to some great hiking trails. Pit toilets. Very quiet."
GuideInto the Whites from West Bethel, Crocker Pond is an off the beaten path car camping destination. Beautiful place to set up camp for a night to 14 days. The campground is situated along the wooded banks of the small Crocker Pond, with about 5 of the 7 sites directly on the water. A short drive to Rt 113 in the Whites along the Maine/ NH border. Caribou Mountain is an awesome 6.7 mile looped hike in this area. Great bang for your buck.
ScoutThe grounds are well maintained with flowers planted everywhere. Staff is extra friendly. Bathrooms and showers could use updating but were spotless. Very pet friendly with dog park, agility equipment, dog pond and dog wash.
GuideThe Chocorua KOA is a great campground with super friendly staff, a variety of sites and lots of activities and things to do for everyone in the family.
We stayed with two other families on pull-through full hook-up sites 43, 45, and 47. Although we were on the main road, we really enjoyed these sites. They were wooded and in a central location close to the playgrounds, pavilion, beach and nature trails. Site 45 was pretty narrow but the other two sites had a bit more space so we mostly used 43 and 47 to hang out. We especially loved that the pull-through road behind our sites was not a main access road so we had a nice long stretch of road that was just for us. We played games and the kids road bikes without having to worry about cars driving through.
There are also a lot of really nice tent sites along the water, cabins, teepees, lodges and great areas for groups to camp. They are fairly strict with quiet hours so it is a very quiet campground at night.
The facilities are nice and clean. The pavilion and fire pit area are a nice place to gather with games and a mining station to enjoy. There are two playgrounds for little and big kids. The bathrooms are quite dated but clean. The pool is freezing cold so the kids didn’t swim much. The beach area is small and not deep enough to swim but the kids enjoyed playing in the sand and water. There are a lot of options for boat rentals- paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and row boats. There is a beautiful board walk that leads through the marsh to a system of short nature trails. We really enjoyed walking the trails though some need a lot of work due to fallen trees and overgrowth. There were also a lot of free activities for the kids like crafts, wagon rides and games with a full schedule of events. You really never have to leave this campground!
This is also an incredibly dog-friendly campground with a fun dog park, a special swimming pond just for dogs and doggie day care available. This is one of the most pet loving campgrounds we’ve ever camped in and our pup loved it!!
We had a great trip and will definitely be back!
ScoutWe enjoyed our stay here and our dog loved the dog park! We would highly recommend this campground.
TravelerUpon arrival staff was nice. They did ask for $10 cash gate card fee. At the time of rival I did not have cash on me. They did allow me to pay it later on during our visit. As we traveled the road to our camp site I was disappointed in the condition of the roads and how tight everything is. Again, the campsite was beautiful with access and frontage on the pond. I was also not impressed with the dog park it was quite a hike from our campsite and near the office. It would have been nicer to have the dog park in the camping area. The day we were leaving we made a special trip to the atm, to get the required $10 cash fee. As we departed I went into the office to check out, return the gate card, and pay the fee. At that time, I handed the clerk the $10 and explained that I owed it. She in turn explained that I did not owe them any money as the $10 was a deposit in case you did not return the card. I was less than impressed with how that was explained at the beginning and the additional trip we had to make.
TravelerIt was an easy campground to navigate. We were so fortunate, we stayed at another campground and check out was at noon. We were sitting on the side of the foothills entrance ( check in time was 2:00), the owner allowed us to enter early. I would like to thank him very much for that. The new owners are working diligently on updating the facilities and working very hard doing it. While we were there they were working on one of the roads that got a bit washed out, and also working on updating the dog park. Campground is very clean. Only draw back was it is very close to Route 16 and some places in campground were a bit noisy. We were so happy to have visited this site!
RangerVery nice campground. Plenty of space for 2 vehicles in campsite. Sites are spacious and and shaded. Flush toilets well stocked and clean. Showers available at camp store. Very nice and helpful staff. Surprising that campground does not allow pets. The campground is close to main road and was noisy at night. Visitor center and Flume Trail are nearby.
TravelerWe chose this campground because it was close to a festival we wanted to check out. Upon arrival we could not find the office. We had to stop a camper who was walking and ask her where the office was. The workers were less than helpful. To many seasonal campers. The sites were to close. The owners were dog breed prejudice. There was a whole paper full of rules if you brought a pet. We are big dog lovers of all breeds and took offense to them being so against certain breeds even being on there property. I will say that the bathrooms were very clean and seemed new.
LegendI have a love– hate relationship with KOA campgrounds. They tend to be overpriced and not consistent. You will find one that has nice sites at a decent price. Then, there are the others which are complete opposite. This KOA is on my good side. There are lots of site choices, cabins, yurts, and tent sites to choose from. The location is good as it is about 10-15 minutes far from the town of Freeport(home to L.L. Bean and tons of outlet stores), the pretty coastal town of South Freeport, four craft breweries and a cidery, and Bradbury Mountain State Park. The owners and work campers are very friendly and the super welcoming. Normally I am not concerned how nice people are but they go out of their way to make sure you get all the discounts you can and put you in a site that you prefer.
We have stayed here a few times and are always impressed how well-cared for the grounds are and how and clean the common areas, bathrooms, and pool are. The grass is always cut, weeds trimmed, fire pits cleaned and there is no trash lying on the ground. There are lots of seasonal sites but they are in the back portion of the park with the transients being in the front. The park has nice super long 50 amp FHU pull-thrus in the front of the park which will fit any length RV and tow vehicle. Some of these sites are “buddy” sites with a shared patio, but are so wide that even if you don’t know your neighbors, it would not be a bother because you are far enough apart. The only downside to these pull thrus is there is no shade. We tend to be there in cooler months so shade is not a problem. However, the rest of the campground has a very park-like feel with over 50 acres there is plenty of room to roam and even a short nature trail through a wooded area. Many sites backup against the woods or are in wooded areas so keep that in mind when making your reservation. We give this park two thumbs up for their dog park which is ten times the size of the average KOA dog park. My lab had plenty of room to run and chase a ball and there were never any other dogs there which was nice. Plus, it was clean and free of dog poop! Normally, there are plenty of activities like s’mores by the fire, crafts, pony rides (yes, they have their own ponies on site), ice cream social, hay rides but this year they were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We don’t use those amenities anyway so that wasn’t a problem but can see that would be fun activities for kids. We were in a buddy sites with our friends and liked the shared patio. Since we were in the open area, we were able to get both satellite with our roof-mounted dome and some over-the-air channels from Portland which is about 45 minutes away. All of our hook-ups were in an accessible place but we were also in a long pull thru and could position the RV in the site accordingly.
Some of the cons for this park are the lack of cable, so-so wifi, and the dusty gravel roads and pot holes. There are a few restrooms buildings scattered around the park which may not be close depending on what site you are in.
The White Mountains National Forest surrounding West Bethel, Maine sits at elevations ranging from 700 to 4,000+ feet, creating diverse microclimates throughout the region. Winter temperatures often drop below 0°F while summer days typically range from 65-85°F. The area receives approximately 45-50 inches of rainfall annually, contributing to the lush forested terrain campers encounter at most sites.
Trail access from camp: Most campgrounds near West Bethel connect directly to hiking networks. At Hastings Campground, visitors find themselves "super close to some great hiking trails" at the northern end of Evan's Notch. The campground remains "incredibly peaceful" during shoulder seasons with "meticulously kept" sites.
Kayaking and floating: The Androscoggin River offers family-friendly water recreation opportunities. Bethel Outdoor Adventure and Campground provides equipment rentals and shuttle service. One visitor noted: "We used the campgrounds shuttle livery service to take our kayak and paddleboard up river for a leisurely float down the river so we could enjoy the scenery, have a picnic, and fish."
Mineral hunting: Children especially enjoy the mining activities available at Bethel Outdoor Adventure. As one camper mentioned: "They also have a sluice on the property, where (for a fee) you can get a bucket of mined material and get to sort through it looking for minerals and gems. Whatever you find, you keep."
Private, spacious sites: Campgrounds in this region typically offer generous site sizes. At White Mountains Camping on Little Larry Road, "8 huge, beautiful campsites in the heavily wooded Evans Notch section" provide exceptional seclusion. One camper noted: "It's easy to forget there are other people camping on other sites because they're so far apart. It's wonderfully relaxing and quiet."
Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness stands out as a common highlight in visitor reviews. Grafton Notch Campground maintains "immaculately clean" facilities. A recent visitor praised the "large shower with plenty of places to put your soap, shampoo, etc. There are also lots of hooks in the shower and bathroom for your stuff and the shower has a large bench to sit on as you get dressed."
Seasonal activities: Many campgrounds organize regular events during peak season. Papoose Pond Family Campground hosts weekly gatherings that campers anticipate: "Tuesday trivia, Wednesday beach party, Thursday dance party, and Friday karaoke- the latter being the most fun! There are so many things for kids to do throughout as well, there's very little time for down time or boredom!!"
Weather preparation: The region experiences significant temperature swings even in summer. Overnight lows can drop into the 40s even when days reach 80°F. Layered clothing and rain gear remain essential regardless of season. At Crocker Pond, campers appreciate how "the light breeze coming off the mountains is absolutely perfect!" but should prepare for potentially chilly nights.
Road conditions: Many campgrounds connect via unpaved forest roads that can become challenging after heavy rain. Little Larry Road requires careful driving but rewards with "beautiful serene and quiet" sites. One camper notes about the upper sites: "Game trail heaven" but warns to "beware of bears especially the right side site."
Water access considerations: Streams and rivers fluctuate seasonally. A visitor to White Mountains Camping observed the "creek runs through road near sites good for getting water to filter or washing," but this requires proper filtration equipment. Campgrounds with wells like Crocker Pond provide hand-pumped water that may have "a little rusty tasting, but perfectly fine to drink."
Accommodation options: Family-friendly sites often provide multiple lodging types. Papoose Pond offers everything from "plain tent sites to rentable cabins and everything in between." One family specifically recommended their half-moon sites: "We have tent camped here for a week (if not twice) every summer for the last 5 years. Pond with rentals, pool, mini golf, daily activities, crafts....so family friendly."
Swimming access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated swimming areas. Stony Brook Recreation Campground maintains a "nice pool and clean bathrooms with showers." A visitor appreciated their "playground for the kids and a rec hall with games and TV. There is a volleyball net as well."
Bathroom proximity: When camping with young children, bathroom location matters significantly. At Papoose Pond, one parent cautioned: "My one con is the location of public restrooms. There aren't many, hence why we stay on a site with our own, and some are extremely far away from campsites that don't allow campers."
Hookup quality: Power stability varies among campgrounds. At Timberland Campground, one RVer warned about electrical issues: "The power at this place is clearly overloaded. On the weekend I was getting warnings that the voltage was in the 95v range(120v)... Below 100v you can start to see damage to electronics and motors as this is a brownout."
Sewer connections: RVers with larger rigs should check sewer placement details. At Bethel Outdoor Adventure, one camper noted: "Our sewer was uphill at our site which is a big pet peeve of ours and super annoying when it comes to empty the tanks. The 50-amp worked well and it was well-placed in the site as was the water."
Cell service considerations: Connectivity varies widely across the region. Sites at White Mountains Camping offer limited options: "Site 4 and 5 get some cell service" while others have virtually none. For working campers, one visitor suggested: "We went to the White Mountain National Forest Picnic area off the main road about 5 minutes away and had great signal."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near West Bethel, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near West Bethel, ME is Grafton Notch Campground with a 5-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near West Bethel, ME?
TheDyrt.com has all 186 dog-friendly camping locations near West Bethel, ME, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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